No or Low Sex Drive: Causes & Managements

Lack of or a low sexual drive is a common sexual dysfunction, but it is important to get to the root of low libido to find a treatment and enjoy sexual activity again.

Missing the spark that makes your relationship good and allows you to enjoy sexual activity is a common sexual dysfunction in women. Having no sex drive is not that common in men though. Studies have found that more than 30% of young and middle-aged women often go through extended periods of feeling no desire for sex. In most cases, it is a temporary phase for women, but sometimes, it becomes necessary to seek psychosexual or medical advice from experts. Unfortunately, it is not easy to solve this issue, mainly due to so many underlying factors that lead to lack of libido. Do not lose hope though, there are always things you can do, or medical treatment to help.

Why Do I Have No Sex Drive?

A low libido has different definitions for different people, and there may well be some difference in what leads to a low sex drive in men and women.

For Women

Low sex drive is one of the most common sexual issues for women. Low desire may mean not wanting to masturbate, not wanting to have sex, having a few or no sexual fantasies, and being worried about not having good sexual drive. Different sex techniques and lifestyle changes may help improve things, but it is important to first identify the root cause of trouble. Here are some of the reasons why some women show no interest in sex:

Physical Issues

A number of physical changes, illnesses, and medications can cause low libido in women.

Pain during sex or inability to reach orgasm may affect a woman's desire for sex.

The use of antidepressants, antihypertensive and anti-seizures medications can decrease libido.

Fluctuating hormones can change a woman's desire for sex. This usually happens after menopause when a woman's estrogen levels plummet. It also leads to vaginal dryness and painful intercourse, which may cause lower sex drive. Similarly, it is obvious for women to experience hormonal changes during pregnancy. Women who breast-feed will experience altered levels of hormones, which can put a damper on sex drive.

Psychological and Relationship Causes

Specific psychological issues like anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, poor body image, and history of sexual abuse can affect a woman's sex drive in a negative way. Similarly, different relationship issues will affect emotional closeness, which can be a libido killer. The issues include unresolved conflicts, poor communication, breach of trust, and infidelity.

For Men

As mentioned, it is unusual to find men with low libido, but it is possible. Erectile dysfunction remains the single most common sexual issue in men. For every 25 men with erectile dysfunction, there is only one with low libido. It means a person may have a low sexual desire, but it is usually possible for him to achieve an erection.

Aging is one of the factors, but there are exceptions, as some older men enjoy an active sex life. However, some men suffer from hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) and lose sexual interest completely. Here are some of the common reasons why men experience low libido:

Psychological Issues

Anxiety and stress from day-to-day work can affect sexual desire. Other psychological issues related to family and relationships may as well create sexual problems.

Medical Problems

A low sexual drive is common for people with diabetes. Other conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol may leave a negative effect on your sexual health. Similarly, some hair-loss remedies, HIV drugs, and many other medications can negatively affect a man's desire to have sex.

Hormonal Issues

Testosterone controls sexual drive in men as well as women, and a reduction in testosterone levels will affect how you feel about having sex. The levels will come down as men age, but certain medications, chronic diseases, and drugs can reduce testosterone levels. Other hormones such as low thyroid hormone levels or, rarely, high prolactin levels can also lead to low libido.

What to Do If I Have No Sex Drive?

Healthy lifestyle changes will go a long way in revitalizing your sex life. Here are some suggestions for people with no or low sex drive:

Manage Stress: Learn to cope with financial stress, work stress, and daily life issues to enhance your sex drive.

Be Open to Your Partner: Learn to share your feelings with your partner to build a better emotional connection that is sure to improve your sex life to some extent.

Be Innovative: Following the same routine can be a bit boring – try to be innovative with your sexual positions, time, and place to spice things up a bit. You may even want to explore new erotic films and literature and let your fantasies come true with your partner.

Build Anticipation: The idea of spontaneous sex is great, but sometimes, it is better to build anticipation and let your partner know you two are going to have some fun tonight. Plan things better – you can play some nice music, bring your partner a gift, and get intimate.

For Women

Again, the treatment lies in identifying what's creating sexual problems. If antidepressants are causing problem, your doctor may change it to improve your sex drive. To resolve emotional issues, it proves beneficial to discuss it with a sex therapist who can share specific techniques and exercises to help couples live a sexually active life.

In case the low levels of estrogen are affecting a woman's sex drive, then estrogen shots through patch, pill or gel may help. A doctor may suggest using an estrogen vaginal cream to improve blood flow to the vagina. Similarly, a combination of progesterone and estrogen is also used to treat low libido.

For more info on how to treat low or no sex drive in woman, check out the following video now.

For Men

To find a treatment, it is important to find what's causing low libido. Sex therapy is the right choice when the issue is psychological. To rectify issues related to testosterone levels, men can take testosterone supplements or opt for gel formulations and skin patches.

Similarly, the issue may be caused by low dopamine levels, for which the treatment involves taking dopamine-increasing drugs. Remember, these drugs may have some side effects. Unfortunately, there are no medicines available to increase libido if the root cause is anything other than a testosterone deficiency.

However, men can use some nutritional advice to increase libido. More details are in the following video.